Refrigeration equipment for beer cooling and ice-cube making



y 4, 1954 c. J. SCHMOCK 2,677,241

REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT FOR BEER COOLING AND ICE-CUBE MAKING Filed Feb. 7, 1951 INVENTOR Patented May 4, 1954 OFFICE REFRIGERATIUN EQUIPMENT FOR BEER COOLING AND ICE-CUBE MAKING Application February '7, 1951, Serial No. 209,743

4. @laims. i

This invention relates to the art of refrigeration and is especially concerned with equipment adapted for use in the refrigeration of beverages, for instance beer to be served in bars, taprooms and the like.

In installations of the kind referred to above it is desirable to provide for the refrigeration of beverages in several different forms, for instance barreled beer and bottled or canned beer. It is also desirable to provide a supply of ice.

The present invention is concerned with refrigeration equipment particularly adapted to the above purposes and integrating the several functions in a novel manner.

More specifically, the system of the invention contemplates the use, in combination with a single compressor and condensing unit, of evaporator elements disposed in diiferent kinds or sites of compartments adapted for refrigeration of different kinds or sizes of beverage containers, provision being made for independent temperature control in the several chambers, notwithstanding operation of all of the evaporators from a single compressor and condensing unit.

In addition to the foregoing certain features of the invention are concerned with the structure and arrangement of a special chamber particularly adapted to the functions of chilling bottled or canned beverages and also for the production of ice cubes.

The manner in which the foregoing objects and advantages are attained will appear from the following description referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of refrigeration equipment according to the present invention, the doors for the refrigerating chambers being removed to disclose the parts lying within; and

Figure 2 is an end View of the cabinet with the end wall removed.

Referring to the drawings a thermally insulated cabinet is generally indicated by the reference numeral I. Attached to this cabinet is a second cabinet 2 enclosed in which is the refrigeration system compressor and condensing unit (not shown). While the compressor and condensing unit may be arranged remote from cabinet 2, as here is shown it is directly associated with the main cabinet I. this unit and its cabinet form no part of the present invention per se, they are shown only in outline herein. The insulated cabinet I is comprised essentially of two refrigerating chambers 3 and 4 which are separated within the cabinet Since the details of ill =: 20 and a lower compartment 2 I.

with a structure 5. The space comprising chambers 3 and 4 is surrounded on all sides by insulating material 6. The insulating material may be of any suitable type such as cork or glass wool and is held between the inner and outer shells of the cabinet. Chambers 3 and t are provided with insulated doors which are not shown. I

The outer shell is indicated by the reference numerals I and 8 forming the side members and 9 and It forming the top and bottom respectively. The rear is indicated by reference numeral II. The inner shell is generally indicated by the reference numerals I2 and I3 forming the sides and Id and I5 forming the top and bottom. The rear is indicated by reference numeral I6.

Chamber 3 is adapted to receive barrels of beer I? and is further provided with an appropriate cooling system. The cooling system used in chamber 3 may be of any of the generally known types. Shown in Figure 1 is a blower type cooling unit comprising essentially evaporator I3 and air circulation fan I9. Refrigeration lines incident thereto are referred to hereinafter.

Chamber 4 is divided into upper compartment The upper compartment 26 is adapted for the cooling of beverages and to this end is provided with shelving 22 and 22a for the storage of cans or bottles of beer. The lower compartment 2| has an evaporator unit 23 which is adapted for the making of ice cubes. Further, the lower compartment has a fan 24 which is utilized to circulate air through the lower and upper compartments. The direction of the airflow is shown by the arrows on Figure 2.

Mounted on top of cabinet I is a conventional beer dispensing unit 25 having dispensing taps 25 which are adapted to receive beer from the barrels IT by means of beer delivery lines not shown.

Figure 2 illustrates in particular the compartments 20 and 2| which were briefly described above and these are now described in greater detail.

Mounted in compartment 2| is an evaporator unit 23. The evaporator is comprised of tubing 2'! for the carrying of the refrigerant The tubing is bent with a multiplicity of parallel runs adapted to support a plurality of horizontally extending covers or shelves 28. The shelving arrangement is adapted to receive containers for the freezing of water such as the ice cube trays 29. As will be understood, the common forms of cold plates may readily be employed instead of tubing such as indicated at 27.

Mounted adjacent the evaporator unit is an electric fan 24. The fan may be of any conventional type but it is important that it be capable of operating under low temperature conditions.

Disposed above the fan is an air duct 39. Two sides of the air duct are defined by part of the inner shell l6 and the vertically extending structure 3|. The other two sides being defined by part of theinner shell l2 and part of the structure 5. As clearly shown on Figure 2 the air duct provides communication for the passage of air from the lower compartment 2| to upper com-- partment 20; the air entering lower opening and leaving upper opening 33. Circulation of air in the reverse direction could also be utilized.

Shelf 22 which is diagrammatically illustrated may be of any suitable construction so as to permit the downward passage of air, for example, it can be perforated or constructed with a plurality of crisscross wires. Lower shelf 22c divides compartments 20 and 2| and in addition is adapted to permitpassage of air fromupper compartment 20 to lower compartment 2 i.

It is important inthe operation of the system that substantially all of the air passing through upper compartmentil and thence to lower compartment 2| be drawn through at least a major portion of the evaporator unit 23. This direction of airflow is accomplished by the construction of shelf 22a. The shelf-extendsover the fanand the evaporator unit'andis-for the most part solid member; however, theend portion 53a is adapted to permi-t'passage'of air. As shown in Figure 2 the end portion33a is provided with perforations 34 in an area extending from edge toward the center. The-perforated ar a preferably extends substantially-the full width of the shelf. Although I have shown in the end portion 33ato beprovided with perforations 3 the same effect may be accomplished for example by shortening the length of the member.

Having described the'construction of cabinet l and chambers 3 and 4 I wish to generally describe the refrigerating system; As mentioned heretofore the compressor andcondensing units are enclosed in cabinet 2." The liquid line 36 running from the condenser-is disposed 'near the top of the cabinet and runs-to a T-joint 31. From the T-joint 31 partof the refrigerant then goes to a thermostatic expansion valve 38 for the evaporator unit l8'of chamber 3 and the other-part goes to thermostatic expansion valve 35} for the evaporator 23 of lower compartment 2!. The vaporized refrigerant from the evaporator unit l8 flows (under suction of the compressor unit) through constant pressure valve 4!! and thence to the common Tjoint-4l. The vaporized refrigerant from the evaporator unit 23 runs directly from the evaporator via line 42 to common T'- joint 4 l. The vaporized refrigerant then flows to the compressor unit'through suction line 53. I

The temperature of the chamber 3 is regulated by the cooling unit-comprising evaporator l3 and fan E9. The temperature of the lower compartment 2i is regulated by the temperature of the evaporator 23.

The temperature of the evaporator I8 is controlledby the pressuresetting of the constant pressure valve 40. The desired chamber 3 ton perature (preferably 42 F.) may be set by nob M which influences the operation of the fan ill. The temperature of the evaporator unit 23 is con trolled by the pressure setting on the condensing unit (not shown). An.evaporator.temperature of to F. ispreferable. The details of thesesystemsare not illustrated as they form no part of the present invention, per se, and also are well understood by those skilled in the art. However it is noted that temperature control of evaporators l8 and 23 is gained by means of pressure control. This allows simplicity of control while obtaining two different evaporator temperature levels'from a single compressor and condensing unit.

Temperature of the upper compartment 20 is regulated by the cold air flowing therethrough and the airflow depends upon operation of the fan. Although the fan may be operated continuously under variable speed control, I prefer intermittent operation and to this end the fan is thermostatically controlled. The thermostat can be of any of the generally known types. However the thermostatwhich I prefer comprises essentially a temperature sensitive bulb 45 controlling a relay which opens and closes the power circuit for fan 24. The bulb is mounted in upper oompartment 20 and communicates-by line ifiwith a regulating relay located in casing ll mounted in chamber 3. The regulatingrelay is connected with the fan as by line 48. The system is so arranged that when ambient temperatureof the bulb rises-above a certain value,-the response of the bulb is communicated to the relay which closes the fan operating. circuit. Cold air is then circulated in the compartment until such time as the temperature dropsto the-desired level. The desired temperature of the=compartmentmay be set by means of nob 49; I prefer to hold the temperature at approximately 38 F.

The refrigerating system which I have described has particular-advantage overthe ordinary direct drawor other-under-thebar beer dispensing units. It is-seen. that in one cabinet are located a unit for draft beer, a unit for canned or bottled beer anda'un'it'for ice cube making. All these facilities are in one limited space. For the small crowded tavern-this is-of considerable importance not only from thesta-ndpoint of saving space but'also from the standpoint of savingin cost as the system I have described entails less expense than two orthree-separate refrigerating units.

I claim:

1. Refrigeration equipment comprising, in combination with a compressor unit and a relatively large refrigerating chamber adapted to receive barreled beverages and having an evaporator therein; arelatively small refrigerating chamber divided into upper and lower compartments with shelvingforsupport-of bottled beverages in the upper compartment, an evaporator in the lower compartmentcomprising a coil bent to provide amultiplicity of runs 'positionedto define shelving for supporting containers for the freezing of water this last shelving serving also to define at least one boundary-of horizontally extending air circulation passage-partition structure extending upwardlyfrom one end of said passage to define an uprightair circulation upper end of which is open to the upper portion of the upper compartment, a lower portion of the upper compartment being in communication with the other end'of horizontal passage, an air circulation fan adjacent one end of said passage for circulating air through said passage in contactwith said evaporator coil and thence upwardly through said duct into the upper portion ofthe upper compartment'to be returned to the said passageytho evaporators the large and small refrigerating chambers both being connected with said icompressor' unit, and

independently operating temperature controlling systems for the large and small chambers including for the small chamber a temperature responsive device in. this chamber located in the upper compartment thereof and connected to regulate the operation of the air circulation fan.

2. Refrigeration equipment comprising: a compressor unit; a relatively large refrigerating chamber adapted to receive barreled beverages; an evaporator unit in said chamber connected with said compressor unit; a fan for circulating air in said chamber; control means to regulate the operation of said fan whereby to control the temperature in said first chamber; a second refrigerating chamber smaller than said first chamber and divided into upper and lower compartments with shelving for support of articles in the upper compartment, the lower compartment being smaller than the upper compartment; partition structure separating said chambers; a second evaporator in said lower compartment connected with said compressor unit and comprising a coil bent to provide a multiplicity of runs positioned to define shelving for supporting containers for the freezing of water, this last shelving serving also to define one boundary of a horizontally extending air circulation passage; bafiie structure extending upwardly from one end of said passage to define an upright air circulation duct, the upper end of which is open to the upper portion ofsaid upper compartment; a horizontally extending member dividing said compartments, one end of which engages said baifie structure, the other end being adapted to define an air circulation port between the lower portion of the upper compartment and the other end of said horizontal passage; an air circulation fan adjacent the lower end of said duct for circulating air through said horizontal passage in contact with said evaporator coil and thence upwardly through said duct and into the upper portion of the upper compartment to be returned to the lower compartment through said port; and second control means having a temperature responsive element in said upper compartment to regulate the operation of said fan whereby to control the temperature in the compartment.

3. Refrigeration equipment comprising: a refrigerating chamber divided into upper and lower compartments with shelving for support of articles in the upper compartment; an evaporator in the lower compartment comprising a coil bent to provide a multiplicity of runs positioned to define shelving for supporting containers for the freezing of water, this last shelving serving also to define one boundary of a horizontally extending air circulation passage; partition structure extending upwardly from one end of said passage to define an upright air circulation duct the upper end of which is open to the upper portion of the upper compartment; a horizontally extending member dividing said compartments, one end of which engages said partition structure, the other end being adapted to define an air circulation port between the lower portion of the upper compartment and the other end of said horizontal passage; and an air circulation fan adjacent the lower end of said duct for circulating air through said passage in contact with said evaporator coil and thence upwardly through said duct and into the upper portion of the upper compartment to be returned to the lower compartment through said port.

4. A construction in accordance with claim 3 further including means to maintain the evaporator in said lower compartment at a temperature between +5 and +15 F. and control means in said upper compartment to regulate the operation of said air circulation fan whereby to maintain the temperature in the upper compartment at approximately 38 F.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,165,480 Hastings July 11, 1939 2,294,119 Leary Aug. 25, 1942 2,451,903 Bauman Oct. 19, 1948 2,528,916 Shreve Nov. 7, 1950 2,561,276 Hill July 17, 1951 2,561,277 Hill July 17, 1951 

